Maricopa County Supervisor and Rose Law Group Partner Thomas Galvin talks future possibilities in a Fox10 Phoenix broadcast aired this week.
By Maritza Dominguez | Arizona Republic
As the Arizona Coyotes continue looking for a new home in metro Phoenix, after Tempe voters resoundingly rejected the team’s proposal to build an arena, Mesa is the latest city being floated as a lifeboat for the team.
How realistic that idea is depends on who you ask.
Mesa Mayor John Giles told The Arizona Republic, the Valley’s second-largest city would be a great spot for the Coyotes. Although he has not had a conversation with the Coyotes, he said he’d be surprised if they didn’t take a look at the options in Mesa.
Unlike the Tempe plan, those options would be on privately owned land.
The buzz of where the Coyotes could land include Phoenix’s Footprint Center, the shuttered Fiesta Mall property, other privately owned land in Mesa or another east Valley city.
Xavier Gutierrez, Coyotes president and CEO, said Wednesday the team is committed to Arizona and has “already started re-engaging with local officials and sites to solidify a new permanent home in the Valley.” The team’s Twitter account posted a poll asking people to vote where the Coyotes should build their “new home.” The poll had four east Valley cities including Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler and Gilbert.
The Arizona Coyotes declined comment for this article.
The possibility of renovating Phoenix’s Footprint Center to allow the Coyotes hockey team to be a tenant has also been floated.
The day after Tempe’s no-vote, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said through a spokesperson, she would be “happy to discuss potential options” with the team if it wanted to work together to keep playing in the Valley.
Maricopa County Supervisor Thomas Galvin, who represents areas of Mesa, said in tweet he would love for the Arizona Coyotes to permanently settle in his east Valley district. “I’m willing to help find taxpayer-friendly answer that makes sure the (NHL) sees (Arizona) as a long-term home,” Galvin wrote.
